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Public Understanding of Science

Press, Radio, Television and Film

Following two years aided by the appearance of unusually bright comets (Hyakutake in 1996 and Hale-Bopp in 1997), the Observatory might be excused for making a reduced public impact in 1998. In fact, however, staff were in even greater demand to express a professional opinion about one or another new result in astronomy, and often made the news concerning aspects of their own research. The number of identified media mentions in 1998 (namely 147) is up by almost 40% compared to the equivalent number (108) noted in 1997, itself a substantial improvement on the 45 in 1996. The Observatory can now expect an average of at least one substantial (i.e. national) media mention per week, and is the leading professional point of contact for astronomy in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

From time to time the Observatory also issues press releases on meteorological and astronomical topics of local or general interest, and on news items that specifically concern Armagh Observatory staff or their research results. In 1998, the Librarian issued 28 such media releases, of which at least 22 were published in the local or national press in one form or another, an extremely high `hit' rate. The Librarian (and occasionally other staff too) also answers many requests from members of the public on different aspects of astronomy, the list of $\sim$180 such requests during 1998 being included for information in Appendix F. Looking to the future, the Librarian produced a solar eclipse leaflet in readiness for the 1999 August 11 total solar eclipse, the first such total solar visible from the UK mainland for two generations. This leaflet, also available from the Observatory's web-page (<a href="http://www.arm.ac.uk/eclipse99.html">http://www.arm.ac.uk/eclipse99.html</a>), has been in much demand.

Astropark

Dr Simon Jeffery, working with the assistance of summer students, has produced the first of a number of fine display panels to be placed in the Armagh Astropark, illustrating various aspects of astronomy and of the exhibits on view there. Copies of these display panels are included for information in Appendix G. The Observatory is committed to developing and improving the facilities in the Armagh Astropark, and will seek to improve this public facility as and when time and other resources allow.

Heritage

The Armagh Observatory is a unique establishment, and continues to flourish as a working astronomical observatory on its original site. The history of the Observatory encompasses the whole of modern astronomy, while the Georgian Grade A listed building, with its many unique and distinctive architectural features, houses one of the most valuable scientific archives and book collections in Northern Ireland. The Observatory also has an important collection of historic instruments and other documents, which can be used to illustrate the wide range of scientific work carried out at the Observatory for more than 200 years, from the late 18th century to the present.

These are important assets, and the Governors of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium have an unrivalled opportunity to develop a centre for the public understanding of science, explaining the history and motivation for the development of astronomy and related sciences over more than 200 years, and the context in which present research is carried out. The Observatory is currently investigating possibilities for obtaining Heritage Funding to develop this side of its activities, the proposal to include the restoration of three of the Observatory's historic telescopes and their domes. This project will be progressed during 1999 and 2000 with the assistance of the architect Stephen Leighton, and David Sinden of the Sinden Optical Company.